Category Archives: Poultry

Potatoes, Poultry

Garlic and Fennel Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Herbed Goat’s Cheese Mashed Potatoes, and Steamed Green Beans

Necessity really is the mother of invention. Today I decided to make a special roast chicken dinner for the family since my errand load was light and Sam, my two-year-old, was in day care for most of the day. I spent a good half hour prepping and stuffing the chicken. When I went to put the chicken into my preheated oven, the oven gave me a big, cold surprise — a broken ignitor and no way to bake my chicken. After scurrying around for the oven’s owner manual and briefly contemplating broiling a whole chicken (the broiler unit still worked), I quickly lit a heap of coals in our Weber, threw on the chicken a few minutes later, and hoped for the best. Fortunately, my last-minute experiment was a complete success. The chicken took on a smoky flavor that wonderfully complimented the fennel stuffed inside it. Thank goodness for cooking disasters. Modern eating might become too boring without them.

Fennel Garlic Chicken


Garlic and Fennel Barbecue Roasted Chicken
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2003

Serves 4 to 6

1 large or two small fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, each cut into 6 to 8 wedges
5 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
whole chicken (about 3 1/2 lb/1.5 kg)
1 lemon, halved

Cook the fennel in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender when pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic, 1 tablespoon each thyme and rosemary, then the salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill for indirect cooking. Rinse chickens inside and out and pat dry. Rub the chickens inside and out with lemon, squeezing some of the juice into the cavities. Rub the outside of the chickens with 3 tablespoons oil, then the remaining herbs. Sprinkle the chickens generously with salt and pepper. Loosely stuff the chickens with the fresh fennel mixture. Tie the legs together and place the chicken, breast side down, in a roasting rack.

Roast the chicken on the grill using indirect heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, flipping the bird every 30 minutes. When ready, the chicken juices run clear when pierced with a fork in the thickest part of the thigh and the leg should move easily away from thigh. Transfer the chicken to a platter and garnish with fennel fronds.

***

Herbed Goat’s Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

4 potatoes, any variety, peeled and cut into 1‑inch cubes (I used large russet potatoes)
2 oz (60 g) goat cheese with herbs, crumbled
1/4 cup (60 ml) half and half
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a large pot of water set over a high heat. Heat to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and roughly mash them with a potato masher. Mash in the goat’s cheese, half and half, 1/4 cup of milk and the butter until well combined. Mix in additional milk until the potatoes reach the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I added about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper).

Mexican food, Poultry, Rice

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Wraps with Potatoes and Avocado and Mexican Red Rice

When Kelly and I decided to start this blog earlier this summer, we weren’t sure what the copyright implications of sharing recipes online might be. I’ve been reading cooking blogs for years and had always wondered about it, never for a minute believing that all the bloggers out there were writing off to Gourmet or Ina Garten’s publisher to formally ask permission to use their recipes. But when it came time to start my own blog, would I lie awake at night like the Amateur Gourmet, fretting that the Barefoot Contessa would bring the full weight of the law down on me for posting her lemon fusilli recipe?

We set our minds at rest after reading the US Copyright Office guidelines and this Washington Post article, but what about adapting a recipe to the point where you can call it your own? Where do you cross the line from having to acknowledge the source to you being the source? Take these chicken salad wraps, for example. I was looking through my Mexican Everyday cookbook and saw Rick Bayless’s recipe for Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red-Skin Potatoes and Romaine. I liked the sound of most of it, but decided to ditch his vinaigrette with oregano for a dressing of mayo, chipotle, lime and cilantro instead. I also used flour tortillas instead of corn, turning these into wraps instead of tacos. I played around with the quantities specified in the ingredients list and pretty much wrote the instructions from scratch too. Is all that enough to call this recipe my own? Or should I stick with the guidelines issued by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and use the words “adapted from,” “based on” or “inspired by?” In the interests of sleeping soundly, “inspired by” sounds good to me.

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad Wraps with Potatoes and Avocado
inspired by Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Makes 8 wraps

for the wraps:
2 large potatoes or 6 small new potatoes
8 large flour tortilla wraps
3 handfuls sliced romaine leaves, sliced 1/4 inch across
1/2 red onion, finely chopped and deflamed (optional)
2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes

for the chipotle lime chicken salad:
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chillies (or 1 teaspoon dried chipotle chillies, available from Seasoned Pioneers, or a few dashes of chipotle Tabasco, to taste)
juice of 2 limes (you could add the zest too if you want an even stronger lime flavor)
1 cup (30 g) cilantro, chopped
1 cup (240 ml) mayo
4 chicken breasts, poached and coarsely shredded (or about 3 cups of any shredded chicken, such as leftover roast chicken)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until fork tender, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and allow to cool, then cut into 1/4‑inch cubes.

To make the chipotle lime chicken salad, add the chipotle chillies, lime juice (and zest, if using) and cilantro to the mayonnaise, stirring well to combine. Add the shredded chicken to the chipotle lime mayo, mixing well to make sure all the chicken is coated with mayo. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, spread some of the chicken salad on a tortilla, then top with potatoes, lettuce, onions and avocado. Roll up tightly and cut in half on the diagonal. Repeat with the remaining wraps.

***

Mexican Red Rice
from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 6 to 8

Rick Bayless also gives a few riffs on this dish: halved garlic cloves, chopped red, white or green onion and sliced mushrooms can be sautéed along with the raw rice. Cubed peeled carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, even Jerusalem artichokes or kohlrabi can go in with the salsa. Chopped snow peas or green beans can replace the peas. Or boost the flavor with a roasted poblano pepper, fresh corn kernels and a handful of chopped cilantro, arugula or watercress leaves, all added along with the peas.

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 1/2 cups (270 g) white rice
1 cup (240 ml) good-quality tomato salsa
1 cup (240 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (210 g) frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Set a medium ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the oil and rice. Stir frequently until the grains of rice turn from translucent to milky-white, about 5 minutes – don’t worry if some of them brown. Add the salsa, broth and salt. Stir a couple of times, then let the mixture come to a full boil.

Cover the pan and set in the middle of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, add the peas and re-cover. Bake for 5 minutes longer, then remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, releasing the steam and mixing in the peas.

Poultry

Baked Chicken with Eggplant, Zucchini and Tomato Ragout

Gordon Ramsay is a lot like Marmite — you either love him or you hate him. When I mentioned to a friend last week that I was making some of his recipes, her first response was that she can’t abide the man. I’ll admit that Matt and I did get briefly hooked on Hell’s Kitchen last summer halfway through the series, but in general I’m with my friend — he does seem unnecessarily mean and over the top to me (though I suppose that all makes for good reality TV). I’d have to agree with Tom Doorley when he says “there is more commendable zeal in Jamie [Oliver’s] little finger than in all of Gordon’s much larger frame.” All that being said, when Matt came home one day with a surprise present of the Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food cookbook, I wasn’t about to turn it down.

Baked Chicken with Eggplant, Zucchini and Tomato Ragout
adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food by Gordon Ramsay

Serves 8

Chicken breasts are quickly seared, then baked on top of Mediterranean vegetables for a great one-pot dish. For convenience, you can make the ragout well in advance, but for best results, bake the chicken breasts just before serving.

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to oil the casserole dish
8 large skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium eggplants, chopped
a handful of thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
a handful of rosemary sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
4 small zucchini, chopped
1 glass of dry white wine
8 plum tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped, or 1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of chopped tomatoes
pasta, rice or crusty bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat a large heavy-based frying pan and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Sear the chicken breasts in batches: cook skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown, then turn over and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and tip in the onion, garlic, eggplant and a few thyme and rosemary sprigs (or the dried herbs). Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent and the eggplant are starting to soften. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Add the zucchini, then pour in the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half. In the meantime, put an oiled large roasting pan in the oven to warm up.

Stir the tomatoes through the vegetables, then tip everything into the roasting pan. Place the seared chicken breasts on top and scatter over some more herb sprigs. Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until firm and cooked through.

Rest for 5 minutes before serving on warm plates, either spooned on top of pasta or rice or with crusty bread on the side.

Poultry

Crusty Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Sauce, Pan-roasted Pattypan Squash, and Boiled Red Potatoes

Pattypan squash are a special summertime treat. Because they can be a bit pricey, I only cook them when our CSA, Rare Earth Farm, delivers them. This week we were fortunate to get a small bag of them. Pan roasting brings out the sweetness. I also like the look of the rich caramel color of the roasting process on the bright yellow of the skin. The chicken in this menu is quick and delicious. As stated in the recipe, a nonstick skillet should be used. I try not to use nonstick cookware (too many chemicals), but this is one recipe where the nonstick is needed. I tried to use a Le Creuset pan and most of the delectable crust stuck to the bottom of it. We still ate it but it certainly could have been prettier.

Preparing the boiled red potatoes is pretty self-explanatory: boil red potatoes in water until just tender (cooking time will vary depending on size of the potato; mine took about 20 minutes). I recommend boiling the potatoes in very salty water both for taste and texture reasons. The water should be as salty as the sea.

IMG_6212

Crusty Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Sauce
adapted from More Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion
2 to 3 large cloves garlic
12 oz (340 g) crimini (baby bella) or white mushrooms
1/3 cup (70 ml) chicken broth or dry white wine
6 to 8 chives, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 150°F (65°C), or your oven’s lowest temperature.

Place the chicken thighs skin side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp paring knife to trim away any excess skin and fat at the edges. Cut a slit about 1/2 inch deep into the flesh on either side of the thighbone to help the meat cook faster.

Use 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper to season the thighs all over. Arrange them skin side down in one layer in a nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid, then place the skillet over a high heat. When the thighs start to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium, cover tightly and cook for 16 to 18 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure they are browning properly. If the chicken seems to be cooking too fast after 10 minutes or so, reduce the heat to low. The skin of the chicken should be very crisp and brown. Transfer the thighs skin side up to the platter and place in the oven, along with the stack of dinner plates.

While the chicken is cooking, cut the onion into 1/4‑inch dice to yield 1 cup. Coarsely chop the garlic to yield 1 1/2 tablespoons. Wash and trim the mushrooms, wipe them dry and cut them into 1/2‑inch dice.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet in which you cooked the chicken. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms, stirring to combine; cook over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to wilt. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over the mixture, then add the broth and any liquid that has accumulated around the thighs on the platter. Cook over a high heat for about 1 minute to reduce the liquid.

To serve, place a thigh in the middle of each plate and top with 1/4 of sauce.  Sprinkle with chives to garnish, if desired.

***

Pan-roasted Pattypan Squash

olive oil
about 1 lb (450 g) pattypan squash, whole if small, or cut in half if large
salt and pepper

Pour enough olive oil into the bottom of a medium skillet to just cover it. Heat over a medium heat. Add the squash and cook, turning squash every 2 to 3 minutes until just tender, about 15 minutes total. Make sure the squash is browned on as many sides as possible for optimal flavor. If the squash browns too quickly or starts to scorch, reduce the heat to medium-low or cover for a few minutes with a lid. Before serving, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cakes, Italian food, Poultry

Chicken Cacciatore and Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I do a lot of baking with my four-year-old daughter, so much so that by now she can tell you the basic ingredients of a cake: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla. So on Saturday, when she was helping me make this Chocolate Zucchini Cake, she couldn’t understand why I was grating two zucchini (or courgettes, as we call them here, though they will always be zucchini to me). When I told her we were putting them in the cake, she gave me a confused look before saying, “But courgettes don’t belong in a cake, Mommy.”

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be good,” I said.

She gave me another long, puzzled look before finally saying, “You’re joking me, Mommy.”

“No, really,” I said as I started grating the second zucchini, at which point she burst into tears.

“It’s going to be disgusting!” she cried, and couldn’t be convinced otherwise until I let her taste the batter, when she quickly changed her mind. But I can understand her confusion. Zucchini bread is about as American as apple pie, but the idea of using them in baking is practically unheard of in Ireland. The zucchini in this cake simply adds moisture and soaks up the cocoa. Not only can you not taste it, but you actually can’t even see it either once it’s baked. Make it and ask people to guess what the secret ingredient is. At any rate, it’s a wonderful chocolate cake to have in your repertoire, not to mention a great way to use up some zucchini if they’re starting to get the better of you in your garden. It’s definitely one of my favorites, and I even made it for my mother-in-law’s birthday a few years ago. It really is that good. My little girl will even tell you so now.

chicken cacciatore

Still looking for ways to use up tomatoes? Try Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart, Ravioli and Tomato Salad, Oven-roasted Ratatouille, Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce or Spaghetti with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Chili and Basil.

Chicken Cacciatore

Serves 6

I only make this recipe in the summer, when tomatoes are at their best. As such, it’s an ideal way to use up tomatoes from your garden if you’re overrun with them. I’ve tried making it in the winter, with those awful pale, hard, imported tomatoes that never ripen, and believe me, it’s not worth it. I’ve also tried making Nigella Lawson’s quick version of this dish, using canned tomatoes, but it was a disappointment after having had the real thing. The fresh rosemary is another key ingredient here.

Sometimes I find it hard to peel tomatoes because they’re too hot after just being in the boiled water, even after I run some cold water over them, so if I think of it, I blanch them earlier in the day, then drain them and set aside to cool in the fridge and peel them when the onions are cooking. To get 3 1/2 lb (1.5 kg) of tomatoes, I used 14 medium tomatoes, so you can use that as a guide, give or take a couple.

2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large chicken breasts
3 large onions, peeled and thickly sliced
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup (80 ml) dry white wine or vermouth
3 1/2 lb (1.5 kg) vine-ripened tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat and season the chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown well on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions have softened.

Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes. To do this, cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife, then pour boiling water over them and leave until the skin around the X starts to curl away, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and allow to cool, then slip off their skins. Cut into quarters or roughly chop them – it doesn’t matter too much since they’ll break up during the cooking anyway.

When the onions are done, add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Next add the wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan. Add the tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon as best you can (again, don’t worry too much about this, as they’ll break down on their own.) Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce bubble and reduce without covering to about half its original volume, which will take around 20 minutes.

Add the chicken back to the pot, pushing the fillets down into the sauce so that they are mostly submerged. Cover the pot partway, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for at least 40 minutes (though I find 1 hour is even better). Stir the sauce now and then with a wooden spoon, crushing up the tomatoes as you do so. I like to shred the chicken in the pot with a fork, though you could also just serve them whole. Serve with pasta, rice or good crusty bread to soak up the juices.

***

chocolate zucchini cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
adapted from Simply Recipes

Makes 10 to 12 servings

for the cake:
2 1/2 cups (340 g) regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 cup (60 g) cocoa, sifted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (170 g) soft butter
2 cups (400 g) sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest of 1 large orange
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
2 cups (250 g) coarsely shredded zucchini (about 2 small/medium zucchini)
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

for the glaze:
2 cups (225 g) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan and dust lightly with flour.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

With a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange zest, espresso powder and zucchini.

Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes (test at 45 minutes), or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert and turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then drizzle over the cake. Cut in thin slices to serve.

30-minute meals, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Poultry

Chicken Saltimbocca, Farfalle with Pesto, and Sauteed Spinach

This menu is quicker and easier to prepare than you might think. The whole dinner took about half an hour to make, start to finish. Plain pasta could certainly be served in lieu of the pesto since the chicken has a nice sauce to it. But if you are trying to use up a pound of fresh basil, pesto is a nice compliment to the buttery, salty chicken. The pesto recipe below makes a large amount of pesto; you will need less than half of the batch for a pound of pasta. I spoon my extra pesto into ice cube trays, then store them in plastic bags in the freezer. For instant pesto year round, take a few cubes out while the pasta of your choice is cooking, then toss the cubes with the hot pasta and a splash or two of the pasta water. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Serves 4

1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lb (680 g) chicken tenders (or chicken cutlets)
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
3 oz (90 g) thin slices of prosciutto, cut into pieces to match the chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
4 tablespoons (60 g) butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 200°F (100°C).

Combine the flour and pepper in a shallow dish. Pat the tenders dry with paper towels. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Sprinkle the tenders evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the tenders to the pan, prosciutto side down, and cook until light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. The prosciutto will adhere to the chicken. Flip and cook on the other side until light golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. (Note: If the skillet is not large enough to hold all the tenders, cook only half of the tenders, remove from pan, then add 1 tablespoon oil and cook the other tenders as directed.) Transfer the tenders to the oven to keep warm while preparing the sauce.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the sauce over the tenders before serving.

***

Pesto

4 cups fresh basil
1 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
about 1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup walnuts and/or toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Pulse the basil, parsley, and garlic in a food processor until finely minced. Add the nuts and cheese. While the processor is running, pour in olive oil until the desired thickness is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. For use as a pasta sauce, add about 1/2 cup pesto to 12 oz (340 g) cooked pasta and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan.

***

Sauteed Spinach

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) fresh spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To a cold skillet, add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté over a medium-low heat until the garlic just turns golden, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach just wilts. Season to taste and serve. Optional add-ins (after cooking): splash of balsamic vinegar, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, or toasted sesame seeds.

Desserts, Fruit, Poultry, Salad dressings, Salads

Chicken Wrapped in Parma Ham with Cantaloupe Salsa, Romaine Salad with Lime-Garlic Dressing and Roasted Peaches Stuffed with Amaretti

I’ve been thinking about this cantaloupe salsa ever since seeing it on my favorite cooking blog, Smitten Kitchen, a couple weeks ago. The question was, as ever, what to pair it with as part of a meal (tempting as it may be to just eat it straight up with tortilla chips). Grilled chicken seemed like a good choice, but boring. But chicken wrapped in Parma ham? That’s more like it. Parma ham and melon is a classic combination, and this dinner plays on that. The lime-garlic dressing in this fast, easy spin on a Greek salad also helps to balance out the salty Parma ham and keep the dinner light for summertime. But if you make nothing else from my posts this week, make these melt-in-your-mouth roasted peaches.

chicken wrapped in parma ham with romaine salad

Chicken Wrapped in Parma Ham

Serves 4

Stuffing the chicken breasts with slices of buffalo mozzarella would also work well here — cut the chicken breast in half (but not right through), stuff with two or three mozzarella slices, then fold the breast back together and wrap the Parma ham around it. If you’re serving this without the salsa, you could spread a thin layer of pesto on the Parma ham slices before wrapping the chicken up in them. If you’d like some visual step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the chicken for this recipe, Bon Appétit has a tutorial here.

4 chicken breasts
8 slices Parma ham (or bacon)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and oil a baking tray. Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lay 2 slices of Parma ham on a piece of greaseproof or parchment paper or aluminium foil, making sure they overlap slightly. Place a chicken breast at one end and, using the paper or foil to get started, gently roll it up in the ham. Carefully transfer the wrapped-up chicken breast to the well-oiled baking tray. Repeat for the other chicken breasts. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with the cantaloupe salsa spooned on top.

***

Cantaloupe Salsa
from Smitten Kitchen

Makes about 2 cups of salsa

2 cups (300 g) diced cantaloupe
1/4 cup (30 g) diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or cilantro
1 red or green chili, deseeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix everything and eat immediately.

***

Summer Romaine Salad with Lime-Garlic Dressing
from Orangette

Serves 3 to 4

This dressing will keep, covered and chilled, for up to 1 week. Some fresh finely chopped cilantro added to the dressing would also be good.

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (or more to taste)
5 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

for the salad:
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed, dried and cut into rough 1/2‑inch strips
1 pint (1 punnet) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup (100 g) feta cheese, crumbled

To make the dressing, combine the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar). Whisk until emulsified and set aside.

In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Toss with dressing to taste and top with plenty of feta. Serve.

***

Roasted Peaches Stuffed with Amaretti Cookies
from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6

3 large, ripe, firm peaches (about 5 oz/140 g each), halved and pitted (nectarines would also work well here, or even a mix of peaches and nectarines)
1 1/2 oz (40 g) amaretti cookies (about 12 small cookies)
3 teaspoons sugar (1/2 teaspoon per peach half)
1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter (1/2 teaspoon per peach half)
fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter the bottom of an 8‑inch baking dish and set aside.

Using a melon baller or a spoon, clean out the red flesh from the center of each peach. Arrange the peaches cut side up in the prepared dish. In the bowl of a food processor, add the amaretti cookies and pulse until finely crumbled (or place in a Ziploc bag and bash with a rolling pin). Divide the amaretti crumbs between the peaches, filling the center of each peach with the amaretti cookie crumbs. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar over each. Dot each peach with 1/2 teaspoon of butter.

Bake until the peaches are tender and the filling is crisp on top, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Cakes, Pasta and noodles, Poultry, Salads

Chicken Mozzarella Sandwich with Orzo Salad with Feta, Olives and Peppers and Black Bottom Cupcakes

My friend Alex hosted this month’s book club and amazed us with a delicious yet light sandwich and salad meal. I contributed black bottom cupcakes to the event. As with all Alpineberry recipes that I have tried, the cupcakes turned out great. I will never spend $2.99 on another Simma’s black bottom cupcake again!

Chicken Mozzarella Sandwich
adapted from Cooking Light

Serves 4

1/4 cup (about 2 oz) sun-dried tomato pesto or basil pesto
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 x 8 oz loaf ciabatta – round is most fun!
12 large basil leaves
3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl, stirring to blend.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and cool slightly. Cut the chicken lengthwise into thin slices.

Preheat the broiler. Cut the ciabatta in half horizontally. Place the bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the bread from the pan. Spread the pesto mixture evenly over the cut sides of bread and arrange the chicken slices evenly over the bottom half. Top the chicken evenly with basil leaves and sprinkle the cheese over top. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet and broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Arrange the bell pepper and tomato over the cheese and cover with the top half of bread. Cut into 8 equal pieces.

***

Orzo Salad with Feta, Olives and Bell Peppers
from Bon Appétit, October 1997

This can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

12 oz orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Cook the orzo in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the crumbled feta cheese, chopped bell peppers, Kalamata olives, green onions and capers.

Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard and cumin in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce is very strong to the taste but is light when added to the orzo.

Add the dressing to the orzo mixture and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish salad with the toasted pine nuts and serve.

***

black bottom cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes
from Alpineberry

Makes 15 cupcakes

for the cream cheese filling:
1 x 8 oz (225 g) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (160 g) miniature semisweet chocolate chips

for the cupcake batter:
1 1/2 cups (170 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (don’t use Dutch-processed cocoa)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) unflavored oil (canola, grapeseed, etc.)
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter 15 wells of a standard muffin pan or line the wells with paper liners.

To make the cream cheese filling, in a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside the filling while you make your cupcake batter.

To make the cupcake batter, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined and the batter is smooth. Be careful not the overmix.

Divide the cupcake batter evenly among the wells of your muffin pan. (I would suggest that each well be no more than half full with cupcake batter. If you still have some cupcake batter left, then line and fill more wells of your muffin pan.) Spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. Your wells might be almost full but that’s just fine.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.